Budget Deficit: Fuel Subsidies Keep Louis-Paul Motaze Away from 2026 Target

Louis Paul Motaze, Cameroon’s Minister of Finance, is unlikely to meet the goal of reducing the budget deficit to 1.7% of GDP in 2026. After the deficit rose from 1.5% in 2024 to 2.1% in 2025, the IMF anticipates a further moderate deterioration in 2026 due to rising international oil prices and substantial fuel subsidies. The IMF mission in Yaoundé from September 17 to 30, 2026, states that these subsidies hinder the country's fiscal consolidation efforts.